| | | | | | | |

Teacher Biographies

Patty Huey

Patty Huey received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Alabama. She later received an English endorsement from OSPI in Washington State and a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University. Currently she serves as an NILD educational therapist intern and plans to complete her final level of coursework in 2012. With her enthusiasm for education, she frequently takes courses to enhance her classroom techniques.

Patty’s education experience includes elementary, secondary, post-secondary and English as a Second Language in a variety of cultures over a span of 32 years. She has taught in both special education and gifted and talented programs. Patty served as lead instructor teaching English for Central Texas College at Fort Shafter in Hawaii, and at the University of Hawaii extension program on Pearl Harbor. Upon moving to Washington State, she taught English at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland, Washington. She enjoys working in an inclusionary classroom with a diverse community of learners. She believes that students learn best when challenged, held accountable and encouraged by a teacher who shows respect to each learner. Patty always looks forward to new teaching experiences where she can begin another meaningful journey with her students.

In her spare time, Patty pursues gardening and spends time by her pond writing and bird watching. She also enjoys any time spent with her family and friends, her two retrievers, Shasta and Braveheart, and her miniature dachshund, Bogart.

Amorah Nelson

Amorah Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry at Seattle Pacific University. During her years at SPU, she spent two summers conducting marine biology research. Later, she obtained her Masters of Science in Biology at Western Washington University. While at SPU and Western, she instructed upper level biology lab classes. The results of her research work at SPU and WWU have been published in scientific journals. She was an adjunct professor for SPU in 2006. She is part of the Science Education Partnership through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that gives her access to biotechnology lab equipment to help students study subjects such as DNA and proteins. Amorah is a certified teacher through ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).

Amorah has been teaching science and math classes at Hill Creek since September 2002. She has been richly blessed by all of her students. Amorah’s teaching style is concrete sequential and she teaches using a direct instruction approach. She incorporates labs in all her science classes to add the hands-on, creative experience. She has high standards for her students and is very willing to spend extra time with students who ask for assistance.

Amorah is blessed to be a wife and a mother of two little girls. Above all, Amorah is grateful to the Lord, who has blessed her beyond measure and has led her to this career and to this school.

Anne Olwin

Anne Olwin received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Florida State University in 1973. With credentials as an educator that extend over the past 38 years, she has taught students of all ages in various settings including: seminars and workshops, private lessons, public and private schools, homeschool, special education classes, and extended education on the university and post-secondary level.

Using a precept upon precept approach, Anne has honed her teaching skills to an art that draws out the unique abilities of her students. Her dedication to helping her students grow involves leading them into discovery and development of their skills, and a deeper understanding of logical thinking.

www.AnneOlwin.com

Patti Deal

Patti has 21 years of experience teaching students from preschool to high school, in both private school and home school settings. At the same time she has raised and home schooled two young men, earned a reading endorsement, and acquired many graduate hours in math and science. Following Charlotte Mason's philosophies, she has found the inspiration and confidence to get rid of textbooks and use literature across the curriculum. Her goal is for students to take responsibility for their own learning, while she remains a companion during the process. Patti has run Bridges to Learning, an affiliate of Academy Northwest, for 18 years. Her free time is full of graduate classes, square and round dancing, hiking, camping, gardening, reading, and cooking.

Beth Linder

Beth Linder received her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Education from Western Washington University. She is ASCI certified and has taught students with special needs including hearing impaired and learning and behavioral disabilities. Her teaching experience ranges from elementary through college in a variety of settings. Her experience includes teaching for the Mount Hermon Outdoor Science School in Santa Cruz, California. She has designed summer programs for junior high and high school students, has coached debate in a public high school and has assisted in teaching college courses at the university. In addition, she designed and led a summer program at Tennant Lake for elementary and preschool students.

Beth's teaching philosophy is that education should be tailored to fit the students' needs instead of a cookie cutter approach that seeks to fit every student into a mold. She determines each student's learning style and strengths to enable individual success.

Beth was homeschooled from elementary through high school and has an inside understanding of the process and challenges.

Jenny Montgomery

Jenny Montgomery graduated with a B.S. in Christian Education from Biola University with an emphasis in early childhood education. Her minor is in Bible. She did her education certification from Seattle University and did her Fifth Year graduate work at Seattle Pacific University. She holds a K-12 Washington State teaching certificate and taught 6 years in the Lake Washington School District at the 4th and 5th grade levels. Jenny has been involved with ministry in a variety of areas including Children’s Church, Sunday School, and Awana. She also has been involved in adult ministries leading Bible Studies and taking administrative rolls. Jenny is married and has three children. Her oldest son is currently in the Marine Corp. Her daughter is a college freshman and her son, Sam, currently attends Hill Creek Christian.

Laurie Geeslin

Laurie Geeslin received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Oregon State University. Her experience includes 25 years of teaching in various settings, including public and private schools. She served as a founding school board member and teacher for five years at Highland Christian Academy, an ACSI accredited private school in McCall, Idaho. She also homeschooled her two children throughout most of their elementary and high school years. Her husband, Herb, has been in full-time ministry for 28 years, and she has assisted much of that time in Christian education ministries, with experience ranging from teaching children’s classes to leading women’s Bible studies.

Laurie became an educator because of her love for learning, and she endeavors to pass this passion for learning on to her students. She is excited to get to know the students and families of Hill Creek Christian School in the upcoming school year.

Allison Geeslin

Allison studied English (with an emphasis in creative writing) at Whitworth University and received her bachelor's degree with honors in 2009. During her time at Whitworth, she gained experience as a writing tutor, a teaching assistant, a research assistant, and an archives intern at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. A graduate of Hill Creek Christian, Allison returned to the school in 2009-2010 to assist in English courses and to work as a substitute teacher. After spending the past year volunteering in schools and after-school programs in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she is excited to work in the classroom once again at Hill Creek.

Becky Hedman

Becky studied engineering and mathematics at UC San Diego, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music from the University of Oregon. She holds a K-12 Washington State certificate in Choral and General Music from Western Washington University, and completed graduate studies at the University of Portland for Level 1 Kodaly Certification. She is also a certified teacher through ACSI with endorsements in Music, Math and Science.

Becky has taught music privately for many years and directed children and youth choirs, led weekly worship services, and staged and directed numerous children’s musical/drama productions. She enjoys gardening, hiking, spending time with her family, and practicing mandolin, Celtic harp, violin, ukulele, guitar, drums, or piano, whenever there’s a spare moment.

Becky has a wide range of interests and loves to incorporate creative learning opportunities into her classes whenever possible. Having home schooled her own children for several years; she has a heart for home schooling families. Her passion is to help students discover and use their God-given talents and to instill in them a lifelong joy of learning.